I liked the variety at first, but then I rapidly got a bit o.O that, while functional, *every* family was either missing a parent for one reason or another and/or unhappy (or in the case of Martha's family, both). And then most of the unmarried love affairs were doomed in one manner or another.

So yes - some of them have to be, and I'm glad that it finally sunk in that there had to be a couple of 'em left in the UK!